Guardian Angel
by Anna Wolfe
Summary: AU. When Sam was seventeen, he was sent a guardian angel to rescue him.
1. Guardian Angel

I'm back!!! Sorry to all those are waiting for more chapters of Home Again. I ran into writer's block. Hopefully I can get back to it.  
Warnings: Ok, kiddies. This story deals with thoughts of suicide and child abuse. If this isn't your cup of tea, turn back now!  
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Supernatural. If I did we would have seen a brotherly hug by now. This was written purely for fun.  
Thanks to Kay, my beta. Without her, my stories would be full of typos. Well, enough talking …on to the story.

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Sam had been abused everyday of his life that he had lived with his foster parents. From the ages of six to seventeen, everyday was filled with the pain of broken bones and cracked ribs, and the terror of 'Is this the day they go too far?' Not that anyone else knew about his secret. He had been warned many times during the eleven years he had been living with Derek and Jennifer Abbott. 

"You ever tell anyone about this and the police with find you dead in an alley. We'll tell them you simply ran away. Another tragic end for a street kid."

To his shame, he believed them. The idea terrified him because he knew, deep down in his soul, they would kill him if they thought he had stepped out of line. They wouldn't hesitate or blink an eye. So while he lived with them, he never told another living soul.

Sam often thought and dreamed about his family – his real family. He knew he had a father and brother out there somewhere. Jen told him so. Well more like she spat it at him during one of her many rants about his worthlessness.

"…just like that crazy father and brother of yours." As soon as the words had left her mouth, Sam whipped his head around to stare at her. At first, she was surprised. However then she got a sick grin on her face.

"Oh, that's right. You didn't know that, did you? Poor little Sam doesn't know what a fucked up family he has." She said, the glee she had was like that of a cat cruelly playing with a mouse.

"What do you mean?" the young man was almost pleading for more information. He had never heard anything about his real family. However, the information he wanted more than anything else in the world became just another toll to torment him.

"Sorry, hon. Can't tell you that - wouldn't want it to damage your fragile, young psyche." The two adults realized denying him this would hurt more than their fists or feet. They would also endlessly tease and taunt him.

"Derek, sweetheart, exactly where does Sam's family live again?" Jen asked her husband, making sure Sam could hear them.

"Isn't his dad in Florida drunk in a jail cell? I don't know about his brother." Derek replied, playing along with his wife in their game.

"Oh no, dear. His father is in the ground already. You remember he got shot trying to rob that woman. The brother – who knows what happened to that psycho?"

In the beginning of this new game, Sam couldn't hide his interest which caused them to laugh long and hard at their _son_. After a while, he learned to ignore their taunts, refusing to be a part of their game. At this point, they just stuck to hitting him.

To deal with the pain both during and after a beating, he allowed himself to daydream about his father and brother. Did they look like him? Were they tall like he was growing to be? Yet, there were two questions which haunted him above all the others. Did they miss him as much as he missed them? Although, he had never met them, their absence felt like a hole in his heart that never went away. Were they searching for him? He knew it was probably naïve and stupid to believe but he hoped they wanted him. He wanted, no needed, to believe it had been things beyond his father's control which caused them to be separated.

One time when Derek was in a particularly bad mood, Derek trying to hurt him accidentally gave him an unexpected gift.

"When Child Services took you away from _him_," Derek spat 'him' out like it was something foul, "they had to rip the two of you out of his arms. I only met your brother once, but personally? I would have happily given you two brats up." Derek wasn't as good as his wife when it came to mind games.

The foster parent thought he was wounding his son but the information that someone had to rip his brother and him from their father's arms just solidified Sam's belief that his family wanted him. Also, he got a small sense of satisfaction that no matter how hard they tried, Jen and Derek couldn't take this from him. They could do anything they wanted to his body – he couldn't fight them. They couldn't take his thoughts and dreams.

The year Sam turned seventeen, the beatings got worse, especially the ones from Derek. It seemed the pair realized they only had one more year to get their licks in. For more than half the year, bruises weren't given the time to heal before new ones were given. Thoughts of running away were quickly dismissed. During all the time the young man lived in this hell, he only ran away once. The severe beating which followed his return convinced him running away would mean more pain.

The thought of suicide was a constant companion. The idea was so tempting. Sometimes he would lie on his bed wondering what it would be like to not feel anything at all. There were a few times he came close to actually doing it. Derek's gun was pressed against his temple and he was ready to pull the trigger. However, one thought always stopped him. 'If I do this, I'll never see my family.' The belief his family were out there, they were searching for him, simply refused to die. He just had to hang in there for a little longer, and then he could leave this place behind. He would find his family. He just had to survive the beatings.

If things had gone on the way they were, Sam had no doubt that he would be dead by Jen and Derek's hands. The Abbotts had no other family. Their friends were just like them. Sam had no friends to speak of. The social worker assigned to his case just wanted her paycheck. No one in the world cared about this 6'2 seventeen year old. However, God or Fate must have taken pity on him. He was sent a guardian angel who rescued him.

It was a bitterly cold winter. The layers Sam wore to keep himself warm meant Jen and Derek could continually hit Sam on his chest, stomach, arms, legs and back without anyone seeing the bruises. Also, not only was he getting beaten up by his foster parents, but by the kids at school as well. He had always been an easy target for bullies because he never fought back. Never. He learned long ago that fighting back never solved anything. In fact, it made things worse. Not that he didn't try to protect himself. With the instinct of that all living things possess, he would curl up making it harder for his tormentors to reach his vulnerable chest and stomach. This gained more laughs and jeers.

"Look at him." A voice laughed from above Sam's head.

"Yeah, what a coward!'' Another voice chimed in. The group of boys that surrounded him had a good laugh at that comment. However, what made this beating session worse was that the lead bully in question, Matt, stole the one thing that Sam could call his – a necklace.

The necklace was some sort of bug or beetle on a leather cord. The young man had had it with him for as long as he could remember. If he sat down and thought hard enough, he could vaguely recall green eyes and a childish voice saying, "Don't forget, Sammy." Then the necklace was thrust into his hands before he was carried away. He realized that the child with the green eyes was his brother. He fought hard to remember more, like his brother's name but all he could recall were those green eyes. Sam never took his necklace off. It was his only link to him past.

In a final act of cruelty, Matt ripped it from his neck. The bully showed it to his minions.

"Look, guys. A trophy!" Laughing, the group walked away, and a defeated Sam headed home, heartbroken.

The loss of his precious item caused the depression that he had been fighting to overwhelm him. He felt like he was coming apart at the seams without the link to ground. He had begun to doubt that his family was looking for him. It was at this point that he lost all hope and decided to end the pain once and for all. He knew that he had two hours before Derek came home from work. Sam sat on the living room couch with the gun pressed against his temple. For some reason he wanted to be the first thing Derek saw. He sat there for several minutes, trying to pull the trigger. As he finally resolved himself to just do it, the doorbell rang.

At first he was just going to ignore it. However, his mind wouldn't let him; he suddenly felt the overwhelm urge to open the door. He couldn't explain it – he just had to do this. Sam realized once he stood up from the couch, he wouldn't be completing his mission that day. A part of him felt rage that this path had been denied to him. The other part felt pure relief that he hadn't gone through with it.

There was no one there. The rage inside him doubled. 'I stopped my plans for this?!' He was just about to close the door when he saw a small box sitting on the doormat. After grabbing it, he looked up and saw…an angel. Later, Sam would be embarrassed he actually thought the guy was an angel. For one thing, he looked nothing like the angels Sam had seen in books and movies. The man, who looked a few years older than Sam, wasn't wearing white just blue jeans, a T-shirt, and a leather jacket with the collar turned up. He had no wings sprouting out of his back nor did he have a halo above his head. He was just an ordinary guy who was standing under a tree, staring directly at Sam's house. Oddly enough, Sam wasn't afraid. He even gave a small smile which was returned.

After opening the box, he discovered his necklace – completely unharmed. Tears sprang to his eyes. Someone cared. Looking through the window, he saw the angel was still there, still watching. Sam felt an odd sense of relief which didn't last long. When Derek, and later Jen, arrived home the man was long gone. However, Mrs. Kitts – the nosy elderly woman who lived next door, just had to call and tell Jen all about the strange man who spent two hours staring at their house. She even told the younger woman that their son had seen him too. Jen quietly thanked Mrs. Kitts, and then whipped around to stare at Sam, fire burning in her eyes.

"Who was here earlier?" she demanded. Sam had already decided he wasn't going to rat the angel out. Someone finally cared.

"No one." he replied, knowing she wouldn't believe him. He found he didn't care.

"Do you think I'm stupid?!" she spat. "I know he was here. Now who is he?"

Sam said nothing, looking at her defiantly.

"Answer your mother!" Derek shouted at him. Something inside Sam finally snapped. He had finally had enough.

"She is not my mother!" He screamed this at the top of his lungs, letting all that pent up anger and pain out. He had wanted to say that for years. He stared at his 'parents' coldly, showing absolutely no fear.

"You ungrateful little shit! We've spent years feeding and raising you. We gave you a home when no one else wanted you. And this is how you repay us?!" Jen continued to scream even more horrible things at him while Derek hit him over and over. As Sam lay in his bed later that night, he felt something he never had before. He was proud of himself. No matter what they had done, they hadn't been able to get his secret from him.

The next day at school, Sam learned that someone had beaten the hell out of Matt. So badly in fact that he was in the hospital. As cold as it sounds, Sam couldn't bring himself to care. However, he was the only one who felt this way. Matt was extremely popular with both the teachers and students. He was a football player who had a bright future. All day long, all Sam heard was, "Who could possibly do this to Matt?" It was just his luck that it had gotten around that the star quarterback had been last seen leaving his friends to go to practice after beating up Sam. This, along with the fact Sam had his necklace back, made the seventeen year old the number one suspect. He even had to talk with the principal with a police officer in the room. Apparently, they thought this tactic would scare them. He felt like laughing. If only these yahoos knew what he faced on a daily bases.

"Son," the principal, Mr. Wells, began, "Deputy Sheriff Knots is just here to talk to you. Now I understand you had a meeting with Mr. Anderson yesterday afternoon. Is that correct?"

"If you define 'meeting' as Matt and his friends ganging up and beating me up, then yes we had a meeting." Sam replied, feeling bold. Suddenly, the Deputy Sheriff was right in his face, screaming.

"You think this is a joke, son? That young man is lying in a hospital bed right now with cracked ribs, a broken arm, and head trauma. So I ask again, do you think this is a game?" the six foot two officer growled.

"No, sir. I was simply giving my view on the 'meeting.'"

Mr. Wells, in an effort to regain control of the situation, cut in. "We know from Mr. Anderson's friends that he was in possession of your necklace when he left his friends. If you didn't get revenge on him for his alleged attack, how did you get it back?"

Sam had to hold in the urge to show off his 'alleged' bruises. "Honestly, sirs, I don't know. I was at home after our 'meeting' when the doorbell rang. Lying there on my doormat was a small box which held my necklace. I looked around but no one was there." Just like with Jen and Derek, he made no mention the angel who had been staring at his house.

"So you mean to tell me that you have no idea who beat up Matthew Anderson, and your necklace just magically appeared on your doorstep?" the deputy sheriff asked, the sarcasm was heavy in his voice. "Out of all the stories, that's the one you're sticking with?"

"It's the truth."

Sam could tell that neither one of them believed him, but with no witnesses or evidence they had no way of proving he had done anything. With a warning that they would be watching him, he was dismissed. Not that it matter to the other students; they already believed him to be guilty.

Thankfully, Jen and Derek had no knowledge of what had happened at school. So he was left pretty much alone except for a quick slap when he didn't answer a question fast enough. Sam was in bed that night, on the edge of falling asleep when he heard a noise. His fight or flight response kicked in as his heart rate jumped, sweat formed, and his senses grew sharp. He listened quietly, waiting for another sound. After a few moments of hearing nothing, the young man slowly relaxed. He even laughed at himself for getting so worked up. He was once again on the edge of sleep when he heard a 'thump' as if something had been knocked over. The same slightly panicking feeling washed over him. Sam spent a few moments debating with himself about whether or not he should go investigate.

'What have you got to lose?' he thought. The seventeen year old found that he agreed with this. However before he could move to the door, it opened and his light came on.

Standing in the doorway was the angel who still had on the same clothes from the day before. With a smile on his face, the man knelt in front of Sam. He gently reached up and brushed Sam's hair away from his forehead. Then he cradled the nape of Sam's neck.

"Sammy." This one simple word was said with so much love and wander, as if the man had found the most precious item in the world.

A small part of Sam was screaming at him. 'What are you doing?! You have no idea who this is! He's a stalker. He's dangerous!' However, he wasn't afraid of this young man before him, He unconsciously made the connection. The eyes of the angel were still the same after all these years. This was his brother. Sam couldn't explain how he knew, he just did. The hole in his heart was gone. He was finally complete.

"I didn't hurt them, Sammy." The young man said in a rush. He was afraid his Sammy would be mad at him. It took a moment for Sam to realize who 'they' were.

"I know you didn't." he quickly reassured. "Who are you?"

"I'm Dean. Don't you remember, Sammy?" his brother asked, looking so heartbroken at the idea that Sam didn't remember.

"I remembered your eyes, and that you gave me this." Sam replied, showing Dean the necklace. "I never take it off."

Dean stared at him for a few moments, and then he broke into a huge smile. "You did remember!"

The other looked so completely happy that Sam found he had tears in his eyes. One spilled down his cheek which was gently brushed away. "Now get your stuff. I'm going to take such good care of you." Dean promised, looking Sam right in the eyes.

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What are you waiting for? Push the little button in the corner and let me know what you think. I'll get you a cookie. 


	2. Broken

Sorry to all those who were waiting for this new chapter. Real life (a.k.a college) kept me from posting sooner.  
Warnings: This chapter deals with the after effects of a psychiatric treatment.  
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Supernatural. If I did we would have seen a brotherly hug by now. This was written purely for fun.

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The past few months with his big brother have been the ones of Sam's life. He gets to spend everyday with Dean, and no one hits him anymore. In fact, life is just the opposite – Dean treats him like he's something valuable, like he's something special. The older man never even raised his voice. Not that Sam would ever give Dean any reason to be angry with him. He truly believes that his angel would never hurt him. However a small voice in the back of his mind constantly tells him, "Why risk it? Just do what he says when he says. That way he won't hurt you." 

Sam hates that voice. It feels like a betrayal to Dean. He knows that the way he feels is more than likely the result of his years being beaten. However, Dean went through things Sam never even knew could happen to a human being and he's absolutely perfect the way he is. So why can't Sam just move past what happened to him? It's wasn't that big of a deal – he got slapped around a little. Why does he feel this way? He hates that Derek and Jen still have their hooks into him. Hadn't they done enough? Why must they ruin the only happiness he's ever had? It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. But then who said life was fair. It certainly hasn't been to the Winchester brothers.

'Winchester' – Sam smiles every time he hears or thinks about it. During his time with _them_, his name was Samuel Abbott. Maybe it's because of the way they treated him, but he never liked being called that. It didn't sound natural. Samuel Winchester – that's who he was. The son of John and Mary, brother to Dean. Yes, finally he knew his real parents' names. He could remember back when Derek and Jen first started playing their game, he would beg them to tell him the names of his parents.

"What do you mean? We're your parents." Jen said when he first asked them.

"No, my real parents."

"Well, now let me think. Sarah and James." The hateful woman said, knowing that the names she had said were completely false.

"Really?" Sam asked, hoping this time she was being serious. He should have known better.

"No!" Jen exclaimed, having a good laugh. 'What a stupid kid. He's so easy to mess with.' She thought to herself, feeling not one drop of remorse or guilt. She even told her husband later that night so they both could laugh at Sam. He hated to admit it but he fell for their little form of entertainment a couple more times.

It had been Dean who finally told him the truth. His brother had freely shared what he knew. He never tried to hide it, like Derek and Jen had. That's one of the reasons why he loved Dean more than anyone.

Often, Sam found himself thinking back to the night he had left with Dean. After the gentle order to gather his belongings, he followed it without question. He had done this not out of fear like he had with his parents, but out of a sense of safety. Dean hadn't yelled or screamed at him to hurry up. The older man had just stood there, patiently waiting with a huge smile on his face. When Sam had a few clothes and books hastily thrown into his backpack, the pair quietly crept through the house, careful not to make any noise. Once they were home free, Dean led his little brother around the corner where a black '67 Chevy Impala waited for them.

"Put your seat belt on, Sammy."

Only after making sure Sam had followed his order would Dean start the car and drive them away. They drove for half the night, wanting to be as far away from the Abbotts as possible. The adrenaline which had coursed through Sam's body had faded leaving him half asleep, leaning across the passenger door.

"We're stop soon, Sammy. I'll find us a place to rest – somewhere nice and comfortable. You'll see."

Ten minutes after Dean's soft voice said these words, they finally saw a motel. Parking beside the manager's office, the driver tuned towards the passenger.

"Just stay, ok Sammy? Please?"

There was something in Dean's voice that Sam couldn't place. It was almost if Dean was requesting something more than him staying in the car. Never the less, he was quick to answer.

"Okay, Dean. I'll stay. Where else would I go?" he replied, giving the other a small smile, and received one in return.

In their room, Dean told a sleepy Sam to go to bed. After stripping down to his boxers and a T-shirt, he climbed into bed where Dean proceeded to tuck him in. Now, he knew that most seventeen year olds would die of embarrassment if this had happened to them. However, for as long as he could remember no one had ever tucked him in. Either Derek or Jen had ever taken the time to do this, not even when he first started living with them. With them, he was lucky if they gave him enough blankets in the winter. Hell, he had out grown his bed when he was fifteen, and they refused to by him a new one. If they didn't care about that why would they care enough to tuck him in?

Sam knew it probably made him completely twisted but he liked the attention Dean was giving him. He loved the idea that his brother cared whether or not he was warm and comfortable. In the few short hours he had spent in Dean's company, he felt more loved then his entire time with the Abbotts. He felt a gentle hand brush over his hand, and the soft voice of his angel saying, "Don't worry, Sammy. I'll make sure they never get you. I promise."

At the time, Sam thought 'they' were Derek and Jen. Yet, the more time he spent with Dean, the more he learned just how wrong his assumption was.

"Hey, Sammy." Dean said, drawing Sam back to the present. He looked over to the driver's seat where his big brother was looked confused and unsure. 'Here it comes.' Sam thought to himself.

"Um…where are we going again?" the older brother asked his voice thick with the frustration he had with himself.

Sam's chest immediately felt tight. However, he pushed past this and swallowed the lump in his throat. "We're going to Lawrence so we can hopefully find out something about Dad, remember?"

He already knew that he would have to tell Dean this at least a couple more times before they arrived at their destination. These bouts were always present but some days were worse than others. He already had the feeling that this was going to be a bad day. Not he felt any anger or frustration towards Dean. This was in no way his fault. Those bastards are the ones who did this to him.

Sam knew that he probably shouldn't let Dean be driving. It wasn't like Dean didn't remember anything or that he was stupid. To him, his brother was the best and smartest person in the world. The older man just had problems remembering certain things sometimes. However, as long as he had Sam to remind him then he was ok. Besides, Dean took such pride in the fact he was able to drive and take care of his little brother that Sam just didn't have the heart to refuse him. The seventeen year old never had anyone to love before, and he poured everything he had into his brother.

"Yeah, now I do. Sorry." Dean said still looking unsure. Sam slowly began to count in his head. '5…4…3…2…1' "Sammy, I…I take good care of you, right?" This question always followed his bouts of forgetfulness. He was always so afraid that he had neglected even the smallest thing when it came to Sam.

"Of course you do." Sam answered his voice full of love.

The tension in Dean's body drained in an instant. "Good" was all he said as he continued to drive them towards Lawrence.

That night, while waiting for the extra large pizza Dean had insisted on ordering – his Sammy was still growing and needed the food – the young man allowed himself to drift back to the past. After a month of being with Dean, Sam really started to notice his angel's bouts of memory loss. He had already noticed the nightmares that seemed to occur almost every night. Dean would awake up screaming, in turn waking up Sam. The twenty-one year old would never say what the nightmares were about, no matter how much he was asked.

"It's nothing, Sammy. Go back to sleep."

Not wanting to directly disobey his brother, Sam would close his eyes and breathe nice, steady breaths. As he lay there faking sleep, he would feel Dean's hands in his hair being so incredibly gentle with him. Then he would hear the soft whisper.

"Don't be afraid, Sammy. They can't hurt you. I'm here now. I'll protect you." This is repeated over and over throughout the night. Sam never felt so safe in his life.

It was after a particularly bad nightmare where he awoke to find Dean huddled in a corner, slowly rocking back and forth that he finally learned about Dean's past. Well, what the other could remember.

"I don't remember how, but I ended up in a nut house. I think my last foster family put me there. I kept getting bounced around because I wouldn't stop asking about you. I can't remember why but after being at the nuthouse for a while, they started to give me shocks. Not that I remember them, but there was a really nice nurse there who told me that's what the doctors did. She's the one who helped me find you.'

Sam was absolutely appalled. How could anyone do that to another human being? However, it was Dean's next words which completely broke his heart.

"I knew I had to hold onto you and Dad. I knew I had to remember your names so I could find you again. I knew if I could just hang there long enough, be strong enough, I would find you again. Then you would stay with me forever, and I would have something good in my life that they can't take from me. No matter what they did, they couldn't have you because you were mine. I do good, right?" Dean asked. His every emotion was in his eyes. He was completely open and vulnerable before Sam.

"Yeah, big brother. You did good. You remembered and you found me."

"And I take good care of you, right? I'm a good big brother?" Dean reached out and cupped Sam's cheek. If this was anyone else, the young man wouldn't have allowed this. He didn't like to be touched. Being touched meant pain. Yet, he felt none of this with his angel's touch. His brother had been through absolute hell, and had made it through on the simple hope that Sam would stay with him.

No, Sam wouldn't pull away from the hand on his cheek. In fact, he pushed into it. With total love and adoration in his voice, he gave his reassurance.

"Of course you are. The best big brother in the world."

This being before him was his. No one else's. No one would ever take this away from him. The last thing he saw before being pulled to Dean's chest where he listened to Dean's heartbeat for the rest of the night was the most beautiful smile in the world.

Knocking on the motel door brought Sam back to the present. After paying for the pizza, the brothers sat together on one bed, quietly eating. The love and bond between them filled the entire room. Little did either know, trouble was heading their way.

The man sat in his car watching the motel. As the pizza boy made his delivery, the man was speaking into his phone.

"I've found them."

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So what did you guys think? Good? Bad? I should never write again? Let me know what you think and I'll give you a pretty pressie. 


	3. Shattered

Hi everyone! Once again, I'm sorry for the long wait in between chapters. On a side note, I have the upmost respect for social workers. They have a hard and sometimes thankless job. Just remember if the social workers in this chapter some cold, it's because we're seeing them from Sam's POV.  
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Supernatural. No money was made from this story.  
As always, thanks goes to my beta.

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For the first time in Sam's life, he willingly fought someone. He hit and kicked with the passion of a horse trying to dislodge an unwanted rider. All the while he thought, "Why are they doing this? Why can't they leave us alone?' Only ten minutes before the brothers were so happy. They had smiles on their faces, talking back and forth as they left their motel room to get breakfast. Suddenly out of no where, a group of people surrounded and separated Dean and Sam. What made the matter worse so that no one would say why they were doing this. Sam just couldn't understand. Couldn't they see that they were ruining everything? Sam and his angel were supposed to stay together, find their father, and be a family again. 

From Sam's position be the two social workers, he could see Dean was fighting. The only difference was that instead of Sam having only the socials workers and one officer with him, Dean was completely surrounded by police officers. 'They better not be hurting him.' he thought to himself. Dean was just trying to protect himself and his little brother. Finally, in completely unfair odds, the officers were able to defeat the older brother. As they arrested him, he turned to look at Sam. The fear in those green eyes was completely visible – both for himself and Sam. The soft cry of 'Sammy' led the seventeen year old to double his efforts to escape. However, it was no use as the brothers were separated, pulled in two directions.

'How stupid do they think I am?" Sam thought to himself. He was currently sitting in a room with the two social workers from before – a man and a woman. Both were using soothing tones and pleasant smiles, pretending they cared. Sam already knew that Dean was the only one who really cared. He made sure Sam had plenty of food, the right sized clothing, was warm and comfortable at night, and so many other things. He was the best thing in Sam's life, and these two wanted to rip that away. Well, he'll be damned if he helps them do it. The kicker was that they believed they were helping him. What was that saying – the road to hell is paved with good intentions? 'Well, that fits this situation.'

"Sweetie, you can trust us. Don't be afraid. We can help you."

Sam was confused. Why would he be afraid? He had Dean with him and his angel wouldn't let anything bad happen to him. He believed that with every single fiber of his soul. The only thing he was afraid of was going back to the Abbotts. Just the thought of having to go anywhere near that house send cold chills down his back. However, years of painful reminders had reinforced the idea of not saying anything about the abuse. Plus, he highly doubted that Derek and Jen had a sudden change of heart and had confessed. So what did they want him to say?

"I bet you're wondering how we found you?" The man said, smiling trying to win Sam over. It wasn't working. "Well, your parents, the Abbotts, were so upset over your disappearance that they hired a private detective to find you. He's the one who notified the authorities." The man didn't realize that he said exactly the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time. To Sam this explained everything. If these idiots think Derek and Jen are good people, they need to look again. He also realized that they saw Dean as the villain. They were going to try and make him see it too. Well, he wouldn't let them. In defiance, he simply stared at them. A look passed between the two, silently deciding to try a different route.

"Your brother – did he kidnap you?" the man asked, bluntly.

Sam's eyes widened. Now he understood – that's why Dean had been arrested. Everyone thought that he had been forced to go with Dean against his will. His hatred for his _parents _increased ten fold. He could even see how the scene had played out.

"_Oh, officer." Jen said. "Our Sam would have never run away. He loved it here so much." Maybe at this pint, she would reach up and wipe away a tear or two. Standing by her side would be her ever faithful husband, comforting his wife, continuing on were she couldn't._

"_Our son was a good kid. It must have been his brother Dean. He kidnapped Sam. You know, he spent time in a mental hospital?"_

Yes, he knew all to well that Jen and Derek would have jumped at the chance to pin everything on Dean. And if the social workers just happen to find bruises on Sam, well it must have been his brother. His angel had protected him now it was his turn. Looking them straight in the eyes, he gave his answer.

"No.'

However, the pair seemed unfazed by this.

"Did he hurt you?" the woman asked.

Sam had to fight the urge to laugh. The only person in his life that had shown him the tiniest bit of kindness or love would hit him? Dean never even raised his voice at him.

"No." He said again, already knowing that they wouldn't believe him. To them, he was just brainwashed kid who didn't know what was best for him. "May I go to the restroom, please?" He didn't really have to use the restroom, he just wanted away from the social workers.

"Of course, honey. It's just down the hall."

Sam left the room, walking just far enough down the hallway to convince them he had gone. Then he quietly crept back up to the room, sitting outside the door, not once letting the pair know he was listening. He was sick of other people deciding his life. The years of having the mindset of 'if they can't see or hear me, they can't hurt me' was finally paying off. Completely unaware that they had an audience, the social workers talked freely.

"Ok, let's start with John Winchester." the man said to the woman who had three files in front of her. She picked up the first file and opened it.

"John Winchester and Mary Cunningham were married in '76. Three years later in '79, their first son, Dean was born and Sam, their second son followed four years later in '83. Six months after Sam's birth, Mary was killed in a fire caused by faulty wiring. The three remaining Winchesters fell off the map until four years later when in Georgia someone called social services on John Montgomery a.k.a John Winchester." The woman turned a page reading the official incident report.

"The investigator found no evidence of abuse or neglect. In fact, the opposite was found. John seemed devoted to his children. However, she did find newspaper and other clippings dealing with such things as demons and ghosts taped to a wall in the living room. She believed he was mentally unstable and therefore unfit. It was on her recommendation that police officers and social workers removed the boys from John's care."

A note at the bottom of the page caught her eye. "According to this, police officers had to physically remove both boys from their father's arms. It was only after John was placed in custody for hitting an officer that Sam and Dean were successfully removed."

"Like father, like son." The man mumbled, thinking of Dean. His partner either didn't hear or was ignoring him as quickly looked through the rest of the file.

"It seems like he put in several appeals to have his boys placed back into his custody. However, for one reason or another, all of them were denied. The last appeal was made a year ago. After that, John Winchester once again fell off the map."

Sam smiled. His father had loved and wanted his sons. Somewhere his father was out there, hopefully waiting for them.

"Do you think he's behind all of this? Dean kidnaps Sam, lets everything cool down, and then meets up with their father?" the man asked.

"I doubt it. There's no evidence to suggest that John even knew where his boys were at. Also, there's no evidence of any contact them. I seriously doubted they have seen each other in over ten years."

"Ok, so what's the story on the oldest boy…Dean?"

The woman opened the next file. "Dean Michael Winchester was born Jan. 24th, 1979. He was removed from his father's custody when he was eight years old. Soon after that he was also separated from his four year old brother who he was extremely protective of. He spends the next ten years in the foster care system – never adopted and had a total of nine foster families. The longest he ever stayed with a family was thirteen months. He was bounced around because he would continually run away in order to find 'Sammy.'"

Reading from report attached to the file, she continued. "During this ten year period, he was taken to a number of psychologists for bouts of severe depression and continually telling stories of demons, ghosts, and other supernatural beings, claiming they were real. After an incident where he held a knife to another boy's throat for calling his family nuts, Dean was deemed a danger to himself and others and was remanded to Oak Grove Mental Hospital until such a time when his doctors believed he was no longer a danger. As of his eighteenth birthday, he was no longer the problem of child services."

At this, Sam had to stop himself from snorting. "Problem" These people couldn't find a loving home for his Dean and he was the one labeled a 'problem.'

"However, from the report we received from Dr. Brooking, he was finally diagnosed as having depression with psychotic features. He was put on both antipsychotic and antidepressants. When these failed to work, the doctor recommended Dean be given ECT treatments."

"ECT?"

"Electroconvulsive therapy."

"Damn" was all the man said. 'Damn doesn't even begin to cover it.' Sam thought. If those bastards had just listened to Dean, tried to help him instead of tying him down and hurting him, his angel wouldn't be suffering from those bouts of forgetfulness. If those stupid social workers had just left his family alone, let them stay together, none of this would have happened. Sam pulled himself away from his thoughts so he could hear the rest of the conversation.

"After several treatments, Dr. Brooking determined that he was no longer a danger and consented to his release. Three days later, Samuel Abbott a.k.a Samuel Winchester disappeared from his home."

'Home' - that place had never been his home. When he thought of 'home' it was where ever Dean was. The man's next words sent Sam's blood boiling.

"You like that sick bastard kidnapped that poor kid?"

Those so called 'doctors' hurt his brother for a year, leaving him with side effects, and this man blamed Dean? Like most people, he only looked and saw what he wanted to see – a crazy guy who should be locked away. When Sam looked, he saw so many things. He saw his angel – the first being who was ever nice to him. He saw a man who although terrible things had happened to him still manage to find them food and shelter, who made money for them by playing pool or poker. However, what he saw the most was his beloved brother who wanted nothing more than to take care of his Sammy.

"…he always talked about Sam."

"Speaking of which."

The woman opened the last file.

"Samuel Dean Winchester was born May 2nd, 1983. He was removed from his father's custody at age four, and then was separated from his brother. He spent two years in foster care before being adopted by Derek and Jennifer Abbott. He lived with them from age six up until he disappeared three months ago, apparently kidnapped from his bedroom by his brother."

"What do you say we recommend that Sam be given back to his family?"

For one brief moment, Sam's heart soared. They were going to let him go home. They were going to let him stay with Dean. Then together they would find their dad and be a family again. A heart beat later his wings melted and he fell back to earth.

"Yes, we're going to recommend that Sam be returned to the Abbotts."

Sam felt a chill run through him. Back to the Abbotts? No…no! They couldn't. Anywhere but there. He would rather die than go back there. Worse, Dean wouldn't be there, he would be alone again. No! Sam's panic rose – his breathing became labored, he felt light headed and spots appeared in his vision. The social workers finally figured out they had an audience. The last thing Sam saw before passing out was the man kneeled down, asking, "You ok, son?"

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Writers live on feedback...so FEED ME!!!!!! 


	4. Whole

Warnings: See the first chapter.  
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Supernatural. This was written purely for fun.  
Author's Note: If you have sent me a review and not gotten a personal reply, it's because the alerts are down again and I had no idea you reviewed. With that said, I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed this story. If the alerts remain down, I will try extra hard to reply to each one anyway.

* * *

The first thing Sam saw when he woke up was white all around him. He felt a momentary stab of panic as he realized he didn't know where he was. The last thing he remembered was his worst nightmare coming true. They are going to send him back to the Abbotts. Just the mere thought of returning to the existence he had before sent a cold chill down his back. Plus on top of the horror of the Abbotts, Dean would be alone, either in jail or out on the streets. A thought hit Sam – what if they made Dean go back to that hospital? He couldn't even finish the thought. There was no way he would even let his angel go back to that place. IF they sent him back to Jen and Derek, he would just have to run away and find Dean again. 

Then another thought came to him. 'What if these social workers separated us and I never see Dean again?' That would be unbearable. Looking back on it, Sam realized how much of a miracle it was that the two of them had found each other. There would be an extremely slim chance that they would be offered such a phenomenon twice. Right then and there he decided that no one would ever separate him from his brother. Ever. But how? No one would listen to him. To them, he was just a kid and saw Dean as a lunatic. If he somehow managed to tell them about the abuse he had suffered and if they believed him, he would still be shipped off to a different foster home. They would still separate the brothers.

So what else could he do? Sam felt so powerless. Just then, the female social worker came into his room.

"Oh sweetie, you gave us quite a scare." she said, smiling at him. He just looked at her saying nothing. A moment of silence passed between them, her smile dimmed slightly but she continued on.

"Well, don't worry – your parents will be here soon."

With that, she left. Another cold chill ran down Sam's spine. '…be here soon' kept repeating over and over in his mind. He knew there would be no escaping once they arrived. Once again he was drawn from his thoughts by the opening of the door. Unknowingly, he tensed waiting for his life to end when Jen and Derek walked in. Relief swept over him as only a nurse walked in. She looked up from the chart she was carrying, greeting him with a warm smile who found himself smiling back.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as she put the blood pressure cuff on his arm. He tolerated her gentle touch. Make no mistake, he still didn't want anyone besides Dean to touch him. However, he knew couldn't try and avoid her touch without making a scene.

"Ok, I guess. What happened?" he asked.

"Well, I really should let the doctor tell you but we believe you had a panic attack which led you to faint. Pretty scary, huh?"

"Yeah. I thought I was dying."

"That's quite common." She replied, picking up the chart to write his blood pressure down. "Can you believe it's May already? It feels like Christmas was just a few weeks ago."

However, Sam stopped listening after the word 'May.' It couldn't be. If it was May, that would mean…

"What's the date?" he asked her, trying not that let his hope get the better of him. Everything rested on her reply.

"It's the 2nd."

Yes! He was free. No one could ever separate him from Dean again. No one could make him go back to the Abbotts. Legally, he was an adult, not a child. The social workers or any one else could ever make him do something against his will.

He had waited for this day ever since he had learned of its significance. He had longed for this day with every single fiber of his being. On the days when the beatings were especially bad, he would daydream of the day when he could finally be free. To think I had almost passed by without his notice. Not that this was anything new. In the past, he had never received a birthday present from Jen and Derek. Hell, most of the time he was lucky to get food on a regular bases. As the years passed, he had learned to ignore the day of his birth. What was the point?

The countdown to his eighteenth birthday had nothing to do with presents or birthday cake but what the day represented. May 2nd was his independence day; it was the day he could finally leave that hell hole behind and no one could ever make him go back. Which was why he had completely forgot about the countdown while with Dean. He was where he had wanted to be.

Sam felt as through a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He had broken free from the chains that had held him. Never again would he have to worry about being forced to return to the Abbotts. He could stay with Dean forever. Finding their dad would make everything perfect. Until then, the two of them would stay together, doing what they had done before this stupid interference. He was still daydreaming about having a loving family and almost missed the sound of the door opening.

This time it was Jen and Derek along with both social workers. He couldn't help the small wave of fear that passed through him, 'Calm down. They can never hurt you again. Think of Dean.' he told himself.

"Oh baby." Jen said fake tears in her eyes. She moved forward as if to hug him. However, his words stopped her in her tracks.

"Don't touch me." he spat at her. Knowing she had an audience, she put on a confused face.

"What? Sam, it's me…Mom."

"Mary Winchester is my mom, not you. Don't touch me." If he had his way, they would never touch him again.

"Sam, your parents are here to take you home." the male social worker said, a hint of authority laced in his voice. Sam deduced this man was used to having his orders followed.

"No" was all he said as he began looking for his clothes. The knowledge that he was free from his so called parents made him bold in a way he had never been before. In the past, he had been scared of them and what they could do to him. Now they were nothing but stray ghosts left over from a nightmare. They had no more power over him.

"Sweetie, you have no choice." the female social worker said. He continued to dress, ignoring her.

"Sam…" one of them started but he interrupted, tired of dealing with them.

"Today is May 2nd."

The four older adults stood puzzled. Why would this boy throw out such a random comment? Surprisingly, it was Jen who figured it out first. Her eyes widened.

"No. It can't be."

Three pairs of eyes turned to look at her, questioning.

"What's wrong?" Derek demanded.

"He…he's eighteen." Jen whispered the disbelief heavy in her voice.

Sam didn't even attempt to hide the smile on his face. He loved that none of the adults had seen this coming. They had been so caught up in the satisfaction they had felt in locating him, that all of them had completely forgotten the date. Not that any of this mattered to him. 'It's time to end this.'

"I'm leaving, and Dean is going with me." he announced to the room. The female social worker opened her mouth to say something, but once again he cut her off.

"Look, I know you can't keep me here, and if I don't say that Dean kidnapped me, you can't keep him either."

For the first time in his life, he stood tall and sure, looking them straight in the eyes. "I'm leaving," he repeated "and I'm never going to think of you ever again. What you did to you will never truly leave, but I'm with my family now." With that, he turned and walked out of the room, never looking back once.

It taken Sam several more hours of talking to police officers and having the social workers provide his birth certificate to prove that he was really eighteen before Dean was released. Currently, he was engulfed in his angel's arms. After a few seconds, his brother pulled back.

"You ok, Sammy?" Dean asked, looking worried.

"Yeah."

"Good…good." Dean said warmly, gently stroking his Sammy's hair.

As they turned to go, the female social worker appeared before them. Immediately, Dean shoved Sam behind him, glaring at the woman as if daring her to try anything. Sam felt his heart swell. Once again, he felt utter amazement at his brother. Here was a man who had been through absolute hell, having every right to hate the world and everyone in it. Yet, he still had enough humanity left to want to protect his abused little brother. How could anyone look at this being and see a monster? Sam just couldn't understand it. Of the woman before them saw none of this. In fact, she completely ignored Dean as she addressed him.

"Sam, you don't have to do this. Even through you're not a child anymore, we can still help you."

He knew no matter what he said or did, she would still believe he was being forced to do things against his will. Why couldn't she understand that this is where he wanted and needed to be? She must have realized that she was getting no where because she signed and held out a piece of paper.

"Then here. This is the last known address of you father. I hope you find him before anything bad happens." She looked directly at Dean as she said the last part. Even now, she only saw his brother as a threat. He can't let this comment go.

Quickly grabbing the paper from her hand before she could change her mind, he said, "Nothing bad will happen. I'm with my family."

She responded to this with a look that translated into, 'Poor kid, He's completely brainwashed.' He no longer cared what these people thought. He had his brother back – that was all he needed.

"I hate that place." Dean said when they were a few miles away. "They asked me questions, and then looked at me like I was a freak when I couldn't remember the answers."

"Don't worry. We don't have to go back there."

"Why did they let us go in the first place?"

There it was. Sam had been waiting to share the news. "I'm eighteen today." he said proudly. He had thought that Dean would be as happy as he was. However, his angel looked horrified, tears shone in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked, terrified that he had hurt his beloved brother. Tears came to his eyes as well. The last thing he had ever wanted to do was hurt Dean.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry! I didn't mean to." he said over and over, willing his angel to believe him. 'What will I do if he doesn't believe me? What if he doesn't want me anymore?'

Dean pulled the car over to the side of the road, turning to face him.

"Sammy, I'm sorry." Dean said, looking just as heartbroken as the night in his bedroom.

"What? Why are you sorry?"

"I…I didn't remember. I'm so sorry."

Suddenly, it dawned on him what was wrong.

"Don't worry about that. It's not your fault. I forgot too." he said, wanting nothing more in the world than to make Dean feel better.

"Really?"

"Yeah. We can celebrate tomorrow."

"Ok." However, the look didn't leave Dean's eyes.

**A few days later**

"Are you sure this is the place?" Sam asked, looking around.

"Yeah, this is the address." Dean replied, also looking around. In contrast, he was looking for threats – anything that might harm his Sammy.

The pair was standing on a porch of an ordinary white house in Lawrence, Kansas. Before either brother could knock, the door opened. An African-American woman greeted them with a warm smile.

"Sam. Dean. It's nice to finally meet you boys."

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One more chaper to go. So what are you waiting for? Push the button and tell me what you think. 


	5. Family

Yes, I'm actually posting a new chapter already. Please, no one die from shock. I just figured that since all of you have been so patient with me that you deserved this last chapter quickly.  
Disclaimer: see the first chapter  
Warnings: depending on how emotional you are, you might want a tissue.  
Author Note: A huge 'Thank you' goes out to everyone who stuck with this story. Without you, this would have never developed into the story it became.

* * *

"Is our dad here?" Sam asked, hopefully as the three sat in Missouri's living room. After her greeting, the kind woman immediately rushed the pair into her home with absolutely no questions about their intentions. In fact, she acted like she knew them. 

"No, he hasn't been here for about a year. He left around the time he lost his last appeal to get you back." she said, the regret heavy in her voice.

For unknown reason, he felt almost safe with this woman. To her credit, her eyes had softened the first time she saw Dean. He could only hope she saw his angel the way he did.

"Don't you worry. You're safe here." Missouri broke in, almost as if she could read his mind. She gave him a soft smile.

"Do you know where our dad is?" Dean asked, speaking for the first time. As her soft gaze fell on him, a blush rose over his cheeks and he refused to meet her eyes. Even through he couldn't see it, she smiled at him anyway.

Sam had to his smile. This is something that the doctors and social workers had never seen. Unless Dean was comfortable around you, he was almost painfully shy.

"Of course, I do. Do you think I would let that man wander around without a keeper?" she replied, picking up an address book. "Here you go. This is where you'll find him. If that stubborn goat gives you any trouble, you tell him that Missouri sent you."

"Yes, ma'am. We will." Sam said as the pair stood up. He reached over and gently pulled the paper out of her hand. He felt a little sorry for their rush. It wasn't that her company was unpleasant. Some part of him would be quite content to stay here with his brother and Missouri forever. Yet, the overwhelming need to find his father consumed him.

"Oh baby. I know. It's ok. You go find your daddy." She said, walking to stand in front of them. Hesitantly, she reached out gently cupping one of their cheeks. For once, Sam didn't feel the urge to pull away from someone other than Dean who had invaded his personal space.

"You are always welcomed here. Now you take my number and you call if you need anything at all." She still hadn't removed her hand as she turned to Dean.

"Oh honey. Stop worrying. He loves you so much. He'll be proud of you. You are a good son and brother." she whispered, looking directly in his tear filled eyes. His hand came up to cover hers.

"How?" he asked in disbelief.

"Boy, you don't expect me to reveal all my secrets, do you?" She smiled at him, receiving one in return. She then turned her attention to Sam.

"Baby, you have done nothing wrong. All he'll see when he looks at you will be his baby boy. That's all."

Sam's hand also came up to cover hers.

"Thank you."

Quiet dominated as the brothers drove towards the address Missouri gave them.

"We'll be there in about fifteen minutes." Sam said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah" was Dean's reply. He looked at over his big brother, clearing his throat nervously.

"Dean…um…can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Sammy."

"Why did Missouri tell you not to worry?" he asked.

Dean seemed to hesitate, a blush once again rising on his cheeks. "I'm worried Dad is going to be mad at me. I let them take you away. It's my fault that you had to grow up with those people."

Sam was at a complete loss. Why in the world would Dean think that? When the social workers had separated them, Dean was only eight years old – just a little kid. There was no way he could have fought and won against grown-ups. In his eyes, their dad had absolutely no reason to be upset. His angel was everything a son should be. Also, Dean was simply a good man.

"Missouri was right. You were a little kid up against adults. Plus, besides the things you went through, you held on to me. Then you rescued me from that hell hole. Dad will be so proud of you. I am." he told his brother with utter conviction.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks, Sammy." Dean replied, the love him held for his baby brother evident in his voice. "Why did Missouri say those things to you?"

Suddenly Sam's throat felt tight. He honestly didn't know if he could even say what was on his mind. It was mainly the irrational fear that saying it would cause it to happen, However, if Dean had the courage to voice his fears, how could he do any less?

"I'm worried he'll look at me and see whatever Jen and Derek saw that made them hurt me. I'm afraid he'll think it was my fault."

There. His secret was out. He felt childish. Logically, he knew that what had happened to him wasn't his fault. Like Dean, he had been a child dealing with adults. There was no way he could have won. However, some part deep down inside him, a small voice in a dark corner of his mind, still worried that he was some how to blame. He worried that he had done or said something which caused the people he should have been able to trust to do this to him. What other reason could there be?

"Sammy, Dad will know that none of what happened to you was your fault. You were just a baby. Those people should have protected you. He'll take care of us. He loves us."

"Thanks, Dean." he said. Yet he still couldn't let his fears go. Looking over at his angel, he knew that Dean was the same way. Not that the pair couldn't believe what the other was saying. It's just not the same as hearing it from their dad. All the doubts were pushed to the side as their destination came into view. Suddenly, faced with reality, the fear and doubt once again filled him.

This was it. There could be no turning back. In a few moments, he was going to see his dad for the first time he could remember. The questions he had once asked himself when he was that abused and neglected kid came back to him. Will he look and sound like me? Is he tall like I'm going to be? 'Oh my God! I'm going to find the answers to all my questions.' he thought to himself. Overwhelming warmth coupled with doubt surged through him. 'What if he's disgusted with me when he finds out what happened? What if he's angry with Dean?'

Sam realized he was working himself into a blind panic. 'Stop it.' he told himself. 'You heard those social workers. He wants you both.' He came out of his thoughts to find the Impala parked in front of the roadhouse. The brothers continued to sit in the parked car, simply staring at the building before them. Never in his life had an ordinary building looked so scary.

"I'm nervous." Dean exclaimed, looking at his Sammy.

"Me too." He replied.

Taking a collective deep breath, the brothers, using all their strength and nerve, opened their doors.

An older woman stood behind the bar as Sam and Dean entered. She flashed them a smile, the one she gives to all who come to her bar.

"Good afternoon. Can I help you?"

"I…" Dean started, having to stop to take a deep breath. "Is John Winchester here?"

Time stopped. Neither of the Winchesters dared to breathe. The woman looked towards the back section of the bar at an unseen person.

"Who's asking?"

"Please. We really need to see him." Sam begged flashing what his angel called his puppy dog eyes. Her eyes soften as she turned, making a signal towards the back. A few tense seconds passed. 'Thisisit, Thisisit, Thisisit…" his mind kept repeating over and over. Finally after an eternity and a mere second, a man appeared.

He was tall (like Sam). He had scruffy bread. His shoulders were stooped and he looked worn down. Sam's heart stopped, his knees felt weak like they were going to give out any minute. This…was his dad. Tears filled his eyes. His dream had finally come true. His fears were still there, but the complete and utter joy at finally seeing his dad pushed everything else aside.

"I'm John Winchester. How can I h…" His dad stopped a shocked on his face. He stared for a few seconds. Then he closed his eyes, shaking his head like one would do to clear their mind after a dream. Surprise showed on his face as he opened his eyes to find them still there.

"Dean? Sam?" he asked. Anyone could tell that he was starting to believe that these were his sons, yet at the same time he was bracing himself just in case.

"Dad." Dean said, rushing into their dad's arms. Both of them were openly crying,

"Oh God, Dean." John said. He wrapped his arms around his sons, holding on for dear life.

Dean pulled back, looking his father in the eyes. "Dad…I'm sorry. I let them take Sammy away. This is all my f…"

At this, John put a finger gently over Dean's mouth.

"Shh…don't talk like that. None of this is your fault." John said, looking at Sam's angel in the eyes, "I am so proud of you." With that, their dad once again brought Dean into his arms. He pushed his head into his son's neck, just breathing in the scent of his child.

"I love you, Dad. I've missed you so much."

"I know, son. I love you too." Then he gently kissed Dean on the forehead.

Sam watched the exchange between Dean and their dad silently. Now his heart was beating a million miles a minute. Soon it would be his turn to be in his father's arms – a place he hadn't been since he was four years old. To think, he hadn't felt his dad's arms in fourteen years. Joy filled him. However, even as he stood there, his fears started to creep up on him. 'What if…'

"Sammy?" Dean's voice broke through. His angel must have seen the look on his face. "Sammy, it's ok. It's Dad."

This simply statement gave him enough strength to slow walk forward to stand before his dad. John gently put his hand on Sam's cheek, his eyes filled with tears.

"Sammy."

"Dad."

The next thing he knew he was being pulled into his father's arms. He could smell his dad's cologne, feel his warmth. He was home. At long last, he was completely whole. Never again would he be the kid who felt unloved and unwanted. Never again would he dream about what it's like to have a loving family. Never again would he think suicide is his only way out. Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming urge to confess everything. Pulling back, he began.

"Dad, I didn't mean…"

Just like with Dean, his dad gently put a finger on his lips. "Shh…it's ok now. Whatever happened in the past is over."

"I love you, Dad." he whispered, going back into his father's arms. A soft kiss was placed on his forehead.

"I love you too Sammy. You and your brother are the most important things in the world to me."

As Sam stood, encased in the warmth of his dad's arms with his angel's hand gently stroking his hair, he had just one wish. 'Can we stay together forever?' He didn't realize he had said that out loud until his dad pulled back slightly so he could bring both of his boys into his arms.

"That sounds good to me."

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Ok, so I want for the happy ending. After everything the boys went through, I thought we deserved it. Drop me a line to tell me what you thought and if you want more from the Guardian Angel universe. Until next time. 


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